Mounting means more particularly for radio sockets



May 18, 1948. v A. J. SCHMITT 2,441,9o7

MOUNTING MEANS MORE PARTICULARLY FOR -RADIO SOCKETS Filed April 25, 1945 73?: j ililih H 1 I a Q Patented an 18, 1948 MOUNTING MEANS MORE PARTICULARLY FOB RADIO SOCKETS Arthur I. Schmitt, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 25, 1945, Serial No. 590,183

This invention relates to mounting means more particularly for mounting radio tube sockets 3 Claims. (Cl. 173-339) directly on the chassis oi. a radio receiving set, a

As is well known in the art, it is commonly desirable to have the socket cylindrical and not only to mount the socket on the panel so as to inhibit axial movement of the socket on the panel but also to fix the relative rotative position of the socket with respect to the panel aperture, and the present invention provides improved means for both ofthese purposes integral with the insulating socket body, and without the need i'or adapter plates, retaining spring, rivets, solderings or other extraneous accessories, thus lending itself readily to mass production methods of assembly and ready removal or replacement of sockets in the mounting plate when desired for repair purposes or the like. 1

Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved molded socket for electrical apparatus and particularly one of the so-called miniature type in which a number of electrical contact members are carried within a strikingly small socket diameter and wherein the only metal parts are those necessary to insure the proper electrical functioning of the socket.

The invention contemplates, in one important aspect thereof, an entire plug-like socket of a resilient material, such as a synthetic elastomer, which snaps into an opening inthe chassis or mounting plate and is locked and retained therein solely by the resilience of its material and inhibiting to a marked de ree by its entirely resilient body objectionable microphonic eiiects.

The invention will be understood by reference to the following specification, together with the accompanying drawings, setting thereforth an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged view of the improved mounting means thereof, showing a. radio chassis or mounting plate in section and the improved socket partially in section and partially in elevation;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the structure of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is an elevational view or the socket body itself, with the contact members absent, and which may be of iull size;

Figure 4 is a top view of the socketbody of v F18. a;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the chassis plate; and

Figure 6 shows a modified bOdY- Reierrlng in detail to the illustrative embodiiorm of rib on the meat shown in the drawings, the mounting plate l0 may here, represent a fragment of a metal chassis panel for a radioreceiving set, which set might be produced in large quantities at low cost,

emphasizing the need for minimizing the material required and the steps of assembly opera tion.

The socket II, i which the present invention more inherently resides and which will be presently more specifically described, is adapted to engage both mechanically and electrically with the prongs (not shown) on a base indicated in dotted lines and here given, the numeral 12 of a conventional vacuum tube or other electric plugin device, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art and need not be here further explained, it being here suillcient to point out that the socket may carry one or more and com monly a series of metallic electric contact 'members, one of which only for illustration is here indicated by the numeral l3;

Commonly the chassis plate Ill has a circular opening l4 therein to receive the, socket H, and the body l5 oi the socket is plug-like and preferably cylindrical both to correspond with the usual cylindrical base i2 01 the plug-in device as well as to provide, with a. minimum of material, space for a central hole IS in the socket to receive the usual central guide prong (not shown) on the plug-in device l2, and, grouped thereabout in an annular series, a. plurality of axially extending passages H in the socket body for the reception of, first the contact members l3 and later also the peripheral prongs on the base l2, there being commonly as many as seven or eight of these annularly arranged axially extending passages i1 within a very small miniature socket or button type socket having an area of say as little as five-eighths of an inch in diameter. The contact openings l'l may be reduced at their lower ends, as at Ila, to pass the tail l3b of the contact member therethrough, which may be then angled as 'at l3a to retain it in place. Thus the body I5 has a central portion (preferably integral) extending throughout the axial length of the body, said central portion having axially extending restricted passageways therein for receiving metallic contact members, said passageways being each relatively small relatively to the area of the body whereby the body retains its plug-like character; I

The socket body ii, in accordance'with the present invention, is desirably of a. resilient, dielectric material, for example, a. synthetic elastomer or resilient thermo-plastic substance, which may be molded, usually under the influence of heat and pressure, to the form shown and which will have the characteristics of retaining substantially its molded form and resisting ex-' cessive distortion in normal handling, while possessing at the same time a degree of elasticity and resilience which permits it to yield and spring back for the purpose and with the object here contemplated. One of the polymerized materials which are now known andavailable on the market, such as polyethylene or one of the vinyl resin plastics, can be used.

The socket body l5 has one part, in this instance an upper part l8, and another part, in this instance a lower part l9, providing a pair of axially spaced apart oppositely facing shoulders. In the presentinstance, except as later noted, the socket parts I! and i9 are of continuous cylindrical formation. The part |8 provides a substantially annular downwardly facing shoulder 20 about the periphery of the socket, which, when the socket is inserted from, say, the up r side of the chassis, l0 and into the opening ll, supports the socketfrom downward movement with respect to the chassis by means of the abutment of the downwardly facing shoulder 20 of the socket with the circular margin 2| of the chassis opening I. V

Further in accordance with the present invention, the lower part IQ of the present socket is formed at its upper end as here shown in the form of a pair of truncated conical portions 22 v and 23, these portions meeting at the plane represented by the line 24 which is coincident with the widest part of the conical portions 22 and 23. The annular holding flange or shoulder is thus formed at 25 on the lower socket portion i9 which takes under the lower face of the chassis l0 margining the circular opening l4.

Since it is contemplated by the present invention that the over-all diameter of the socket part IS in the plane of the annular locking flange or shoulder 25 be slightly larger than the diameter of the opening I, in order to retain the socket therein. and that the socket shall be pushed into theopening l4 from one side, the upper side of the chassis plate in this instance, against the resistance of the material of the socket body itself, provision is here made for mechanically expediting the temporary displacement of the clastomeric material of the body to permit its insertion in the chassis opening, and. tothis end, the conical formation 23 advantageously affords an annular beveled or cam surface 26 which tapers inwardly from the point 25 of largest diameter toward the reduced lower end Isa of the socket part IS, the lower face 21 of which is advantageously of a diameter slightly less than that of the opening H, the socket thus terminating in the reducedlowe'r end |9a from which the contact tails l3 depend.

Similarly. and for purposes presently more particularly pointed out, the conical portion 22 of the socket body part 19 also tapers inwardly but upwardly from the shoulder 25 toward the center of the body where it integrally Joins the part It as at 28 by meeting the adjacent downwardly facing shoulder 20. Thus the conical portion 22 protions of the beveled or tapered surfaces 26 and 28 already alluded to, in addition to their function of providing by their inherent formation the holding flange or shoulder 25, it-may be pointed out that it is desirable in devices of this character to polarize or predetermine therotatlve posibe readily accomplished by molding as here shown a key protuberance or rib 3|) extending axially of the socket body on the part |3 of the latter and which rib is snugly and matingly received in a notch or key-way 3| in the chassis opening ll. 8 that the socket body may be inserted therein in only one rotative position.. To the extent of the rib 30 the shoulders 20 and 25 are not continuously annular.

So constructed and arranged, when it is desired to assemble the socket II with the chassis It, all that is necessary to be done is to first locate the lower face 21 of the socket body |5 in the chassis opening ll, with the rib 3|! aligned with the notch 3|, and then press. as with the thumb. upon the upper face 32 of the socket whereupon the socket will snap into position as indicated. In this movement of the socket body completely and lockingly into the opening H, the beveled surface 25 forms a substantially annular cam which mechanically assists in' displacing the yieldable elastomer material of the socket body sufllciently to reduce the diameter of the socket part I! in the plane of the annular shoulder 25 so that this shoulder 25 is permitted to pass through the chassis opening it.

When the socket has been pushed in as far as it will go, the shoulder 25 will spring outwardly again to its normal maximum diameter and the socket will be locked to the chassis byhaving the annular margin 2| of the opening it of the latter located in the space, triangular in vertical crosssection, between the downwardly facing shoulder 20 on the upper portion of the socket and-the upwardly facing shoulder 25, or, more specifically the beveled or tapered auxiliary portion 29 of the shoulder 35.

One of the advantageous multi-fold functions of the beveled shoulder 29, as an operative part of the shoulder 25, is that the margin 2| of the chassis plate is wedged in this triangular space above referred to and thus play or chattering of the socket on the chassis is prevented, this wedging action being enhanced by the elastic character of the socket body material so that the lower edge 33 or corner of the chassis plate at the opening ll digs slightly (annularly as at 3341) into the material of the body, the elastic character of the latter permitting suflicient displacement of material of the body for this purpose and contributing to the locking function just described. This wedging action also desirably guards against play which might otherwise occur due to variation in thickness of the chassis plate, In forming the opening I4 in the chassis, a downtumed annular edge or burr is desirably formed at 33, as shown. to enhance the interengagement of chassis and socket.

Still another of the multi-foid functions of the beveled surface 29 is'that when it is desired to remove the socket from the chassis as for repair or replacement, the beveled surface 29 also serves as aocam to mechanically assist in displacing the socket body material to reduce the diameter of the shoulder 25 to permit removal of the socket body I5, when sufllcient force is placed upon the socket to flex it against its natural resilience together with the digging in effect of the corner 33 into the beveled shoulder 29. It is of course desirable that when once in position it should not be too easily removable.

It will'now be understood that by this novel provision of forming the entire plug-like socket body of an elastomer, any vibration in the chassis tion of the socket in the opening I4 and this may 15 panel in will be dampened by the material of the '5 socket body, thus inhibiting any microphonic effect which might otherwise be transmitted to the electric contact members carried by the socket. Furthermore, by reason of the resilient character of the entire socket body, the metallic contact members carried therein are retained in part by the springy nature of the material, the openings for the contact members being such that the latter are intended to be pushed into the socket body against the inherent resilience of the latter and thus further not only preventing ob- Jectionable play or microphonic effects but moreover gripping the metallic contact members (and through the latter the tube prongs) throughout their surface which engage the body and requiring a minimum of locking means between the metallic contact members and the body.

What hasjust been said-is not only true of the contact metallic members but to a comparable degree is also true of the gripping effect of the body upon any central pilot pin of the'tube base I! which may be received in the central hole It of the socket body and which may have a very close fit therein, and thus firmly holding the tube in place on the socket.

The customary barrier ribs 34 may be provided as usual upon the lower face 21 of the socket to further separate the contact members It.

With respect to the central hole It, it may be remarked that the latter may if desired be provided with a central metallic grounding sleeve into which the central pilot pin of the tube base I! may enter, as need not be here further exother metal members being carried by the body,

in which case the body might function as a jack.

Such central metallic member may advantageously be inserted after the socket is in place on the chassis, the central metallic member being slightly larger in diameter thanv the hole It and thus being inserted by a force fit which tends to expand the elastic material of the body in the chassis opening and further enhance its securement to the chassis as shown. Use of such a pin might well permit the employment of a more elastic material than that here specifically described for the body while counteracting any possibility of the socket working loose in the chassis.

The edge of the key-way 3i is desirably turned down as at Ila at each side of the rib in the form of a pair of lugs struck out from the material of the chassis ill to form the key-way, which lugs contact the side of the rib, and further insure against undesired rotation of the socket in the chassis.

As shown in Figure 6, the securement of the rib in the key-way 31 may be still further enhanced by making the rib wedge-shape in an axial direction as at 30a, which, as the socket is forced into the chassis opening, will wedge the rib into the key-way 3!, the rib being here shown slightly wider at its top than the distance between the lugs.

It is intended to be understood that the invention is not limited to details of construction here shown for purposes of illustration and that such changes may be madeas fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing therefrom.

The invention having been described, what is here claimed is:

1. Mounting means for radio sockets and the '6 body of insulating elastomeric material having a central portion extending substantially throughout the axial length of the body, said central portion having at least one axially extending restricted passageway therein relatively smallwith respect to the area of the body for receiving a metallic contact member, said body having a pair of cooperating peripheral substantially oppositely facing annular shoulders, one of said shoulders being defined by a surface in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said body and the other by a conical surface having its largest diameter axially spaced from said perpendicular surface, and said conical surface intersecting at its smallest diameter said perpendicular surface, whereby to provide a peripheral substantially annular space triangular in cross-section for a substantially-annular edge of a mounting plate opening and adapted to have said edge wedged therein, and a second conical surface on said body pitched in opposite direction to said first conical surface and further spaced from said perpendicular surface, the. largest diameter of said conical surfaces being greater than the diameter of said opening, whereby the body may be pressed into said opening against the resilience of said body and tightly held therein, said conical surfaces providing cams to assist in inserting and removing said body from said opening selectively.

2. Mounting means for radio sockets and the like comprising a cylindrical resilient plug-like body of insulating elastomerie materia1 having a central portion mending substantially throughout the axial length of the body, said central portion having at least one axially extending restricted passageway therein relatively small with respect to the area of the body for receiving a metallic contact member, said body having a pair of cooperating peripheral substantially oppositely facing annular shoulders, one of said shoulders being defined by a surface in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said body and the other by a conical surface having its largest diameter axially spaced from said. Pe p ndicular surface, and said conical surfaceintersecting at its smallest diameter said perpendicular surface, whereby to provide 'a peripheral substantially annular space triangular in cross-section for a substantially annular edge of a mounting plate opening and adapted to have said edge wedged therein, the largest diameter of said conical surface being greater than the diameter of said opening, whereby the body may be pressed into said opening againstthe resilience of said body and tightly held therein, said conical surface providing a cam to assist in removing said body from said opening when desired.

3. Mounting means for radio sockets and the like comprising a cylindrical resilient plug-like body of insulating elastomeric material having a central portion extending substantially throughout the axial length of the body, said central portion having at least one axially extending restricted passageway therein relatively small with respect to the area of the body for receiving a metallic contact member, said body having a pair of cooperating peripheral substantially annular shoulders, one of said shoulders being defined by a surface in a plane substantially perdicular surface, and said conical -'surface intersecting at its smallest diameter said substantially like comprising a cylindrical resilient plug-like .75 perpendicular surface, whereby to provide a pe.

- I 1 8 ripheral substantially annular space triangular Number Nam Date in cross-section for a substantially an l 8 2,024,547 Strongson Dec. 17, 1935 of a. mounting plate openin and adapte to v 2,087,784 Schmitt July 20, 193'! said edge wedged therein. 7 2,099,405 Langdon Nov. 16, 1937 ARTHUR J. SCHM TT- 5 2,277,637 Eby Mar. 24, 1942 2,291,001 Smith July 28, 1942 l REFERENCES CITED 1 2,318,293 1 seat, Apr, 13, 1943 The following references are of record in the m file or this patent: 1

V 1 r oun ry e Um STATES TENTS 541,306. Great Britain Nov. 21, 1941 Number Name Date ,915,070 Muldoon June 20. 1933 

